Feed control mechanism



June 9, 1942. .1. L. HILL FEED CONTROL MECHANISM Filed June 7, 1940 Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEED CONTROL MECHANISM Jacob Lesslie Hill, Dallas, Tex.

Application June 7, 1940, Serial No. 339,399

1 Claim.

The present invention is directed to improvements in an apparatus for producing quicksilver.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character constructed in such manner that the ore or material from which the quicksilver is to be extracted will be confined and movable in a closed retort during the extraction operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this nature so constructed that the ore is passed through the retort or furnace in a continuous stream and the fumes arising therefrom are liberated in a continuous stream and then condensed for conversion into metallic mercury or quicksilver.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind employing a spiral feed conveyor confined within a feed conduit which is in turn confined within a heat conducting tube, whereby the ore travelling through the feed conduit will be subjected to maximum heat within the tube.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of regulator to govern the quantity of material passing from the feed hopper to the feed conduit in order that the flow or passage of the material during the heating period may be increased or diminished, as desired.

With these and other objects in view, this invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, I designates a brick furnace having a fire-box 2 at one end, fuel being introduced thereinto in any approved manner.

Extending longitudinally within the furnace is a heat conducting tube 3, having at one end a collar 4 fitting into the upper end of the fire box 2. The upper end of the tube opens into a stack for the discharge of the products of combustion.

This tube is disposed at an inclination within the furnace, and has its lower end communicating with a waste pipe 6 into which the ore is discharged after the fumes have been extracted therefrom.

Fixed concentrically within the tube 3 and annularly spaced therefrom is a feed conduit 8, which has its lower end positioned for discharging into the pipe 6, while the upper end thereof extends through one wall of the stack and adjacent wall of the furnace l. Communicating with the extended end of the conduit 8 is a pipe 9, which leads to a condenser (not shown) of conventional form.

Mounted for rotation within the feed conduit 8 is a spiral conveyor 8' of conventional form and having one end extending from the closure cap [0 cf the feed conduit, said conveyor being driven by a sprocket chain II.

The ore feeding regulator comprises a vertically disposed casing l2 having in one side thereof an opening l3 in which a portion of the webs of the conveyor fit, and the conduit at this point is formed with a passage [4 in order that ore from the casing l2 will enter the feed conduit and be subjected to the action of the conveyor, thus positively feeding the ore downwardly within the conduit to be subjected to the heat passing through the tube 3.

Depending into the casing I2 is a feed pipe l5 having an ore receiving hopper l6 upon its upper end. This feed pipe stops at a point above the passage [4 and extends into the regulating sleeve I1. This sleeve is raised or lowered by a shaft l8 threaded in the casing closure cap I9. In this manner, as the ore from the hopper fills the casing [2 the sleeve may be raised or lowered to regulate the quantity of ore passing from the casing [2 through the passage I4 to the conveyor. Obviously the sleeve will be moved to increase or reduce the area of the passage I, thus effectively regulating the passage of material from the casing into the feed conduit, and without the necessity of changing the speed of rotation of the conveyor. Thus the sleeve will assure an even travel and proper depth of the ore through the feed conduit as it is subjected to the heat from the heat conducting tube 3.

Briefly the operation is as follows: The ore to be treated is fed into the hopper l6 and in determined regulated quantities picked up by the conveyor and fed through the conduit for discharge into the pipe 6 after being subjected to the heat passing through the tube 3. Obviously the mercury fumes from the conduit will pass from the pipe 9 into the condenser. It will thus be seen that an apparatus has been produced wherein the extraction is continuous, and the depth of the ore in the feed conduit may be regulated and fumes liberated will freely pass above the level of the ore without any reduction in temperature.

What is claimed is:

An ore feed control comprising a vertically disposed casing having an opening formed intermediate its ends, a sleeve in the casing, an ore feed pipe extending into the sleeve, a closure cap on the lower end of the casing, a shaft threaded in the cap and rotatably engaged with the sleeve, and serving when rotated to raise or lower the sleeve to control the flow of ore from the lower end thereof into the opening.

JACOB LESSLIE HILL. 

